Fotoeins Fotografie

By fotoeins on 9 December 2016

Since 2003, December 11 is International Mountain Day as designated by the United Nations General Assembly. Annually, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) observes the day:

… to create awareness about the importance of mountains to life, to highlight the opportunities and constraints in mountain development and to build alliances that will bring positive change to mountain peoples and environments around the world.

•   Mountains cover almost one-quarter (22 percent) of the Earth’s surface.
•   Up to 80 percent of the world’s freshwater supply comes from mountains.
•   One in eight people (13 percent) around the world lives in the mountains.
•   Mountain tourism accounts for almost 20 percent of the worldwide tourism industry.

The following provides a glimpse to the mountain environments around the world and to the challenging conditions our ancestors would have faced and endured.

1. Australia: Blue Mountains

Near Katoomba, NSW.

Torrential rain approaching the Three Sisters; Mt. Solitary peak at right was known as “Mun-mi-ee” by the Gundungarra people. HL, 8 Jul 2007 (A510).

2. Austria: Kitzbühel Alps

Alpbach, Tirol

Alpbach valley in early spring-morning light. HL, 14 May 2018 (X70).

3. Brazil: Serra do Ibitiraquire

Near Morretes, Paraná.

At 1877 metres (6158 feet), Pico Paraná is the highest point in Paraná state and in southern Brazil. HL, 10 Jul 2011 (450D).

4. Canada: Coast Mountains

Near Vancouver, BC.

The indigenous Squamish First Nations people once had coastal villages in and around Howe Sound. HL, 16 May 2014 (6D1).

5. Chile: lower Andes

Near Vicuña, Región de Coquimbo (Región IV).

Sleepy “zorro” (desert fox), from Cerro Tololo Observatory. HL, 23 Jun 2007 (A510).

6. Chile: Coastal Range (Cordillera de la Costa)

Región de Antofagasta (Región II).

Telescopes & Residencia, ESO (European Southern Observatory) at Cerro Paranal. Arid Atacama desert, horizontally laminar air flow, and well beyond city lights are prime conditions for astronomy. HL, 25 Nov 2009 (450D).

7. Germany: Wetterstein

Southern Bavaria.

From Wank summit, view west to Zugspitze. HL, 28 May 2018 (X70).

8. México: Sierra de San Pedro Mártir

Picacho del Diablo, Baja California.

Southeast from México’s Observatorio Astronómico Nacional to highest point on Baja California peninsula. HL, 16 Dec 2005 (A510).

9. New Zealand: Southern Alps

Flyover near Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park.

“The Grand Traverse” past highest peaks in New Zealand: Mount Tasman (Horokoau) and Aoraki (Mount Cook), at left and right, respectively. HL, 21 Jul 2012 (450D).

10. South Africa: Table Mountain Group

Over Cape Town and Cape Peninsula.

tFrom the back of Table Mountain to where the Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean meet. HL, 13 Oct 2012 (450D).

11. United States: Hawai’i

Near Kawaihae, Big Island.

Cinder cones on extinct volcano Kohala in the northwest corner of the Big Island. HL, 8 Dec 2009 (450D).

Photo by Amy Toensing for Getty Images. UN FAO International Mountain Day 2016.

Except for the top and bottom images, I made all remaining photos labelled “HL” between 2005 and 2018 with the following detectors: Canon A510 Powershot (A510), Canon XSi/EOS 450D (450D), Canon EOS 6D mark 1 (6D1), and Fujifilm X70 (X70). This post appears on Fotoeins Fotografie at fotoeins DOT com as http://wp.me/p1BIdT-99u.